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Carpenter's Best Work
Author: thefinalcredits from Wales, UK
31 August 2016
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
"Trust is a tough thing to come by these days."
The centre-piece of this feature is the bleak, isolated Antarctic
landscape in which the story is set, which Carpenter contrasts so
effectively from the outset with the claustrophobic confines of the
American research base. The latter was built from scratch at the edge
of a glacier in Stewart, British Columbia, with the remoteness of the
location shoot exemplified by the cast and crew's hair- raising tales
of being transported there. Based on John W Campbell's 1938 story 'Who
Goes There?', this adaptation is much more faithful to the source
material than Howard Hawks' 1951 original version, 'The Thing From
Another World'. Thus, it is ironic that much of the criticism levelled
at this production when it was released at the box-office was in
lambasting Carpenter for creating such a dark and violent vision in
comparison to Hawks' treasured original treatment. In fact, Carpenter
not only paid homage to Hawks' original in his version, but also in his
earlier body of work. In his 1978 breakthrough, it is playing on the TV
set where Jamie Lee Curtis is babysitting, while in this feature the
video footage the American team watch to learn what their Norwegian
counterparts have unearthed consists of clips from Hawks' version.
Carpenter's version's poor critical reception was largely based on its
gory special effects, with Roger Ebert dismissing it as a 'barf-bag
movie', while Hawks' 1951 director, Christian Nyby, wounded Carpenter
by caustically commenting: 'If you want blood, go to the
slaughterhouse'. It is clear that by wishing to preserve the
shape-shifting alien presence of the source material, and thereby avoid
the 'man in a costume' horror of his childhood, Carpenter irrevocably
tied his film's fortunes to the quality and reception of its special
effects. A second upshot of this decision was in handing total creative
licence to special makeup effects creator, Rob Bottin. Having cut his
teeth the year previously on 'The Howling', this former apprentice to
Rick Baker both thrilled and appalled audiences in equal measure with
his nightmarish visions. Though a little dated today, these still
retain the power to shock, and deserved at least an Academy Award
nomination. In spite of Bottin's laudable workmanship, what they did
earn at the time was both a notoriety which deflected attention away
from the film's strengths, as well as a period of hospitalisation for
Bottin out of pure exhaustion. A further critique aimed at this
production was a lack of sufficient characterisation, though it could
be argued that with a plot so driven by suspicion, the audience's lack
of in-depth knowledge of individual characters adds further to the
tension. It is clear that the screenplay, penned by the son of Burt
Lancaster whose only other screen writing credit was for the light
comedies of the 'Bad News Bears' franchise, is as much of a
psychological thriller as it is a visceral horror story. As Carpenter
himself later commented: 'The paranoia is the glue that holds the movie
together'. This is gradually racked up by the director before reaching
its apogee in the film's most acclaimed blood-test scene. It is also
supported by Ennio Morricone's throbbing baseline soundtrack, which was
so unfairly nominated for a 'Razzie'. Many have questioned the
plausibility of the actions of the men trapped on the base with this
shape-shifting presence, forgetting that the latter's arrival sharpens
the level of mistrust and friction which had been building throughout
the team's isolation from the wider world. As such, the alien
interloper in its desire to survive at all costs is able to exploit the
breakdown of discipline as the team's fragile relationship is tested to
its limits under siege. The cast give commendable performances in
capturing the escalating tension and dread, none more so than Keith
David as the volatile 'Childs' whose belligerence surfaces towards Kurt
Russell's hirsute, cynical, renegade helicopter pilot as they bid to
take control of the beleaguered survivors. It is fitting that these two
characters are the only ones left to await the dying of the flames of
their razed base uncertain as to whether their enmity is purely on
human terms or one biological organism against another. This is another
perfect vehicle provided by Carpenter for Russell's ability to deliver
an understated but memorable performance in a role turned down by both
Nick Nolte and Jeff Bridges. Russell also contributed the final lines
of dialogue: 'Why don't we just...wait here a little while...see what
happens?' Although now regarded as a cult movie which raised the bar
for the horror genre, this production 's failure at the box office
marked the last time Carpenter would be entrusted with a major studio,
big-budget vehicle, and the virtual end of Lancaster's career, as both
were removed from plans to have them bring Stephen King's 'Firestarter'
to the big screen. A victim of the timing of its release to audiences
warmed to a much more benign vision of alien visitation in blockbuster,
'E.T.', Carpenter's feature has finally accrued the plaudits it
deserves.
A horror classic
Author: grantss from Sydney, Australia
23 July 2016
A US research station, Antarctica, early-winter 1982. The base is
suddenly buzzed and attacked by a helicopter from the nearby Norwegian
research station. They appeared to be trying to kill one of the dogs
from the US base. Having dealt with the threat, the members of the US
team fly to the Norwegian base, only to discover them all dead or
missing. They do find the remains of a strange creature the Norwegians
burned. The Americans take it to their base and deduce that it an alien
life form. After a while it is apparent that the alien can take over
and assimilate into other life forms, including humans, and can spread
like a virus. This means that anyone at the base could be inhabited by
The Thing, and tensions escalate.
A horror classic. A well crafted story, directed by horror legend John
Carpenter. He builds the plot well, meticulously setting the scene and
ramping up the tension with good effect. The period where anyone could
be infected / inhabited is particularly suspenseful.
Excellent special effects, especially for 1982. Very gory, imaginative
and realistic. Some of the images from the movie are quite iconic and
will be familiar from pop culture, they've been reused so much.
Ending is maybe a bit too ambiguous for my liking. While I don't
generally like neat, happy Hollywood endings, this possibly went too
much in the opposite direction. A greater degree of closure, or at
least an indication of where the story was heading, was in order, I
think.
Solid performances all round. Kurt Russell is particularly good in the
lead role, playing the quick-thinking action hero very well.
The Best Masterpiece of Horror.
Author: gbofaisst from Victoria, Australia
14 July 2016
John Carpenter is always my favorite directer with along with Guillemo
Del Toro, Stephen Norrington and Fritz Lang. The Thing is an great
movie that ever made in 1982 and still had it today. The Thing is a
first movie in the Apocalypse Trilogy, which continued with Prince Of
Darkness and ended with In the Mouth of Madness.
The Thing is widely regarded as one of John Carpenter's greatest
masterpieces, and I would personally consider it a contender for the
title of the best horror film ever made. It didn't always receive such
a rosy reception, though. It was released in theaters just weeks after
Steven Spielberg's much more blockbuster-friendly E.T., and its
theatrical performance and initial critical reception weren't anything
to write home about, the movie had became a beloved cult classic over
the years.
The movie is a remake from 1951 The Thing From Another and was directed
by Howard Hawks and Christian Nyby and adapted from a John W. Campbell
short story; however, implicit Lovecraft allusions abound.
The Thing. The story concerns an alien creature found frozen in
Antarctic ice that can absorb, digest, and then imitate perfectly any
creature that it comes into contact with. What follows from its
discovery is a classic meditation on paranoia, punctuated by some of
the best practical special effects ever put on film. The Thing is a
remake of the 1951 Howard Hawks film The Thing from Another World,
which was itself based on a short story by John W. Campbell called "Who
Goes There?"
Once it is revealed, the titular Thing is almost entirely unknowable.
Not only is it alien in the most literal sense, but it's also outside
of normally understood biology, genetically dissimilar from all life on
earth. When discussing how the Thing can do what it does, or how it can
live after being frozen for so long, one of the characters (played by
Kurt Russell) says, "Cuz it's different than us, see. Cuz it's from
outer space." And that's about all the more understanding of its
reasoning the characters ever get. Though the creature can obviously
speak perfectly when it is imitating one of the humans, it never
explains itself.
The Movie is awesome in every way with an strong story, great actors
and with great special effects. If you a john carpenter fan (just like
i am) this movie is perfect for a horror movie night.
A masterwork of horror atmosphere and special effects
Author: NateWatchesCoolMovies from Canada
27 October 2015
No horror movie brings you quite the icy, venereal chill of John Carpenter's The Thing. It's an undisputed horror classic that has lived on since it's slightly anticlimactic, ill received release back in the 80's (people didn't know a good fright flick when they saw it back then, I guess). Nevertheless, it's a heart stopping odyssey of ambient antarctic unease, sickening, squirm inducing practical effects, and a veil of impending danger and paranoia that blankets both the characters and the viewer, like the thick drifts of snow that blanket the screen to gorgeous effect. The story by now is timeless: a team of antarctic researchers in a remote location come across a gigantic spacecraft buried in the tundra, and unearth a grotesque, frozen creature that upon being thawed, wreaks havoc on them and their facility. It's an imitator, this monster, and can hide in plain sight, within the flesh and blood of any one of their crew. This gives way to extreme distrust, mental unraveling and mutiny as it turns them against one another. For me there's nothing quite as iconic as the opening: Ennio Morricone's ominous, rhythmical score kicks in as we see two hysterical Norwegians in a helicopter, Chasing a dog across the frozen terrain. It's one of the most dazzling, evocative entrances to a fright flick ever filmed. Kurt Russell, in his whiskered, macho glory plays Macready, the head of the team. Russell is always solid, especially in genre stuff, and he's almost as distinct and iconic here as his Snake Plissken character. T.K. Carter, Donald Moffat, Keith David Wilford Brimley and more round out the rest of the team, and I won't mention standouts because they're all just fantastic and each play their part to a T. A huge highlight is the gruesome creature effects. When the it tries to imitate something and messes up, the result is a grossly misshapen slab of slimy nondescript gore, guaranteed to freak and gross you out in equal measures. I won't spoil anything with specifics, but the dog kennel and defibrillator scenes are time capsule worthy and should be shown in special effects makeup schools as a shining example. Carpenter pulls off the second absolutely flawless horror movie of his career with this one, not an easy feat, especially in this genre. All the parts fit together perfectly, resulting in as chilling sci fi horror for the ages.
"Clear!" I've loved this great classic for just about forever, it's just so endlessly gripping and so much fun.
Author: Foreverisacastironmess from ukwitchcountry
27 May 2015
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Before I even start, if you haven't seen this movie, *go* see this movie! If you enjoy tension and horror in the slightest go and see it, 'cause you will probably love it. It's one of those very special and fearsomely distinctive kinds of horror movies from yesteryear that has the rare enduring charm and quality about it that just more than stands the test of time. I suppose it's a simple and straightforward enough tale of fear, distrust, and most importantly twisted alien abominations, and how they slowly but surely invade and infect the desperate souls who are trapped in a place where none of them can hope to escape or even call for help, which of course just raises the despair and unease to new levels. This group of essentially doomed men must try and prevent the end of the world, provided they can figure out who to trust and who is still human before it's too late... Damn if it isn't so near-perfectly made, everything about it is handled so well and works out so beautifully. The starkly freezing visuals and cinematography is suffused with fear and unseen menace, with the early point in the film where they visit the grim charred remains of the Norwegian camp being especially nightmarish and creepy because unbeknownst to them, that's what's lying ahead. It just draws you right in and makes you almost feel like your in their shoes, and that's one of the things that I think a worthwhile horror picture is meant to do, it immerses you in the environment of what you're watching. I like how the cast are all interesting guys who are different from one another, and while they're not super-developed or anything you definitely care about them enough that you fully share their horror at what's befalling them. I really like the performance of the dog in the opening act which isn't all that it seems, you get a very sinister vibe from it, it doesn't look like your average plain old happy dumb dog, it looks like it's thinking and waiting for something. Way to go dog.. Never looks at the camera once! I don't believe that you can truly love this film without enjoying all the aspects of it, some love it for all the psychological atmosphere, whereas myself I lean more towards the monsterfest splatter side of things(!). But the creature appearances and the mood play off each other, every build-up is paid off, and when the Thing does explode out of nowhere when you're least expecting it, it's really the cherry on the top. I'd put my money on it as the scariest monster ever, I mean what's more alarming than the terror of your own body and mind being stolen and corrupted from within and turned against you? The horrific concept of the parasite taking over is truly used to its fullest potential. As a creature, I see the overall entity of the Thing as a giant all-consuming mouth, with each separate organism a tooth, and all that they can really do is to see how long they can, stem the jaw... The complete carnage of the monster attacks is violent and revolting, but also so undeniably fascinating that you just can't look away, it's like madness given form... My favourite is the sideways snappy-head because the legendary build up to it with the blood test is so perfectly nail-biting to me every time. The moment is so hectic that it's almost absurdly comedic, the way poor frightened Windows has his head thoroughly chewed on before being spat out! It's a picture that really shows what could be done with the technique of practical effects. I could not believe that nobody ever won any awards for those effects, or that this excellent film was so unfairly torn apart by the critics at the time of its release. That was grossly unfair and messed up, but...it does seem indeed that all good 'Things' really do come to those who wait, and over the years it has got every last bit of acclaim and recognition that it always deserved. John Carpenter may not have technically created the idea of the Thing, but it's because of this movie and his awesome vision why people recognise it to this day, it was him that breathed life into it and gave it an enduring(many!) face and identity. My god this movie is brilliant, no other adaptation holds a candle it it, it gave the original story the presentation it deserved. Thrilling, perfectly-casted and excellently written, I can honestly recommend this to anyone that loves gruesome horror or edge-of-your-seat mystery and suspense. This movie is gold, savour it on a long cold night...
Absolutely amazing entry without any real flaws
Author: GL84 from Los Angeles, Ca
16 June 2011
A group of scientists at an Arctic research base find themselves under
attack by a shape-shifting alien creature that mimics anything it
touches, leading them to struggle to know who's-who in the fight
against the creature.
This is a wonderfully impressive and utterly fun entry, with a lot to
love about it. The fact that it manages to capture an incredibly
suspenseful atmosphere, from the extreme isolation of the situation to
a series of brilliant set-pieces at the end to ensure that it'll be
impossible to determine who's what when it comes down to figuring out
the identity of the alien in disguise amongst them. Chief among these,
and a film highlight in its own sense, is the classic blood-test
sequence, which is just marvelously done and never once gives away it's
secret twist, which is highly creative and makes the film all the
better when it's followed by a scene of incredible imagination with its
disembodied head gag. It's a running theme throughout the film, of
intense suspense followed by rather impressive special effects to
punctuate it, all done convincingly and never really allowed to
dominate one way over the other in the film. It's action is
unparalleled, as the finale is a huge fire-filled battle in the
basement, and it's never clear who will win out, and earlier battles
are just as impressive as the film utilizes a rather oft-overlooked
technique of making something to be feared known to loose in a
situation where they can't escape, using the situation to its advantage
throughout and never letting it go. Even the gore is impressive,
offering tons of splatter to shoot across with reckless abandon and
making for a never-ending series of great kills. One of the most
impressive films in the genre.
Rated R: Extreme Graphic Violence, Graphic Language and
animals-in-peril
You couldn't ask for better sci-fi horror!
Author: AngryChair from Brentwood, USA
14 January 2006
Another well-loved horror masterpiece from director John Carpenter is
this unforgettable re-imagining of the 1951 sci-fi classic The Thing
From Another World.
Scientists stationed at an outpost on the South Pole are terrorized by
a mysterious shape-shifting alien.
Themes of paranoia, the unknown, and isolation are very common in the
horror/scifi genre and they are well utilized in this film. John
Carpenter directs this film with gusto, giving it a terrificly haunting
and bleak atmosphere. Ennio Morricone adds all the more to the
atmospheric spookiness with his eerie music score. However, the best
highlight of The Thing is undoubtedly the awesome special FX of Rob
Bottin. Even by today's standards of CGI visual FX, the creature
creations of Bottin are truly outstanding. This film was made nearly 25
years ago and still the creepy alien FX of The Thing manage to shock
and thrill! An impressive feat indeed.
Another highlight is the great cast of the film, the best of which is
hero Kurt Russell in one of his most challenging roles.
All around, The Thing is a stunning combination of moody atmosphere and
out-of-this-world horrors. It remains as one of Carpenter's best films
and stands as one of the greatest alien-horror films out there!
**** out of ****
John Carpenter's The Thing!
Author: Movie Nuttball from U.S.A.
4 January 2004
This is one of John Carpenter's best movie if not his best! In My opinion
it
is one of the best films to date! I don't want to spoil it for you if you
haven't seen it yet but here I will say the following! Kurt Russell was
very
good! The other cast members including Wilford Brimley, Richard A.
Dysart,
Keith David, Donald Moffat, Charles Hallahan, and Richard Masur performed
well! The movie has many thrilling moments and it does a great job at
keeping you in suspense! I just love the unpredictableness! The film is
very
interesting and is quite scary at times! It has some gore and great
effects!
In My opinion in the very beginning before the credits where you see the
space ship coming toward Earth is one of the greatest special effects of
all
time and then you see the fantastic Thing logo with such chilling music
which is one of the greatest title sequences ever! Morricone's score is
very
good and it has that great John Carpenter sound! Carpenter directed this
greatly and I love how he remade the scenes of the ship in the ice and
the
hole in the ice block that belonged to the missing corpse! The artwork on
the movie box is excellent! If you love John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, the
other cast members mentioned above, horror, action, sci-fi, thrilling,
suspense, and alien movies then this is the perfect movie to watch!
Strongly
recommended!
Movie Nuttball's NOTE:
I also recommend these John Carpenter films: Big Trouble in Little China,
Halloween, The Fog, Starman, Christine, Village of the Damned, and They
Live!
If you like alien movies I also recommend the following films: The Thing
from another World, The War of the Worlds, The Day the Earth Stood Still,
The UFO Incident, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. the Extra-
Terrestrial, Time Walker, Mac and Me, Explorers, Invaders from Mars,
Communion, Fire in the Sky, Independence Day, The Arrival, Mars Attacks!
Stephen King's Dreamcatcher, Xtro 3: Watch the Skies, The Puppet Masters,
Life Form, The X-Files: Fight the Future, Signs, Alien, Aliens, Alien 3,
Predator, Predator 2, The entire Star Wars saga (A New Hope, The Empire
Strikes Back, The Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, & Attack of the
Clones), the entire Star Trek movie saga (Star Trek: The Motion Picture,
The
Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, The Voyage Home, The Final Frontier,
The Undiscovered Country, Generations, First Contact, Insurrection, &
Nemesis) and Stephen King's IT!
Forget E.T, The Thing is The Real Alien Film of 1982.
Author: LagerLagerLagerShouting from England
1 May 2008
John Carpenter's brilliantly suspenseful flick is a great fusion of
Sci-Fi and horror, adopting the classic body-swap theme and taking it
to the extreme. A remake of the Howard Hawks produced 1951 original,
Carpenter keeps the Cold-War themes of paranoia and trust as a backdrop
of alien takeover and impending doom amidst madness and the isolation
of the Antarctic setting. Carpenter's direction as always is excellent
as his camera glides through the lonely world of the characters whose
inhabitable environment is about to be corrupted by the primordial fear
of body takeover. But here and much like the work of David Cronenberg,
Carpenter doesn't hold back on the incident, as through some fantastic
special effects we are witness to some insane moments of surreal gore.
However, he never loses touch with the human side of the story, as in
the face of everything shocking happening in front of us, we are left
with perceived notions of trust and suspicion.
9/10
A dark calculating plunge into the depths of human fear and paranoia
Author: Wabid_Dawg from Northern Ireland
15 January 2007
The first night I watched this film I had a genuine nightmare. No film
before or since has given me nightmares and this illustrates how
powerful this dynamic film is. The setting is isolated in the wastes of
oblivion, the music a echo to the primal heartbeat of human fear, the
violence and gore gritty and realistic, the absence of special effects
for the better. But what I find so brilliant about this film is its
systematic annihilation of one of the core human emotions which is
trust. This film brilliantly replaces this void with pure and
undistilled paranoia, and in the context of this film this becomes far
more powerful than any other weapon to terrify audiences. Combine this
with the perpetual mental and physical isolation that this film creates
and you have a masterpiece of not just science fiction horror but of
human fear. And will leave you looking over your shoulders for what
lurks in the darkness - Trust me.
If you liked this try the shinning 10/10
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